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Thursday, 18 February 2010

Tombits

Bill Hunt makes a suggestion: This is in Bill's article today; "The blog run by a couple of St. Thomas Tommies fans is back in business and taking comments again after a period in which the comment section was closed.

The anonymous assembly has been calling, in no uncertain terms, for the skull of head coach and athletic director Mike Eagles as they digest a last-place finish in the Atlantic University Sport Men's Hockey Conference.

The pleas are vehement and they are passionate, but they are anonymous. And so they don't, or they shouldn't, carry any credibility among those who make decisions.

As long as the comments are all "anonymous," we have no way of knowing whether there are eight or 80 or 800 disgruntled denizens of Tommie nation.

I'd attach a lot more credibility to the movement if they signed a petition, say, and attached a $100 bill - or whatever a season pass costs at St. Thomas these days - saying they would be prepared to buy a pass with the attached if there were going to be changes to the hockey program. Then we'd see how strong the opposition is and how sincere the cyber mob really is. And now, until events warrant otherwise, I am hereby finished discussing men's hockey at St. Thomas University until September or so."

To sum it up, put your money where your mouth is.

Daily Gleaner: "Eagles determined to keep dual role": You can read Bruce Hallihan's full story HERE.

20 comments:

Eagles does not read what the fans write on the Blog? He doesn't listen to the fans either. 8 years of losing, badly for two in a row. Ahhhh let me do my jobs and lets look at it again in 8 more years. I'm okay with that, isn't everybody. I would say for Eagles to book the yearend party for the guys at playland MacDonalds and head for the Olympics. After all he has the full support of those above him. Play a little golf and let the guys kick some local buts in the Kilarney lake pond hockey. Same plan as last year. once all the ice is out, perhaps scout a few atom games to see who turns up for requiting 8 years from now.

Eagles should get his hearing and eyes checked, because he hasn't obviously herd anyone on this site in the paper or at the rinks, and he is obviously blind to the fact that you havent mad the playoffs for the past few years. OHHH but next year will be different. seen it before and got the t-shirt,

Say this about Mike, he is determined. If self-confidence translated into success on the ice, the Tommies would be a virtual powerhouse. Let's hope he can make it happen because time is running short. Another year like the last two and you've got to think the Tommies fan base will be down to family members only.

Atheletics at St.Thomas and specificaaly mens hockey deserves more than an individual who after 8 years still can't get it right,I see nothing in his attitudes reflected in Hallihans article that he is nothing more than a man on aselfish mission of holding on to both jobs in spite of being qualified for neither'It should be evident with his history of having only one dimentional responses to problematic players,St.Thomas ,as an institution of higher learning should have in it's employe a man of greater qualification than Mike Eagles possesses and the jobs should properly be put out to application;it is embarassing to see what STU has settled for in the bestowing of these jobs on somebody who demonstrates learning nothing from past efforts and takes pride in suggesting that he doesn't even bother aquaiting himself with the sea of opposition to his efforts(I personally do not believe his protestations on these matters)

His stated determination to hang on to both jobs just clearly demonstrates his lack of learning from the disasterous past and smaks of personal ambition and no real cocern for the mens hokey program to be specific;it's the same old problem,he cannot recruit and land the required student/atheletes and has learned nothing in his 8 years on the job.

I cannot believe that Administration continues to ignore this situation and watch another re-run getting ready to go.

Kudos to Mike Eagles for wanting to continue doing both jobs.From my standpoint he does not have a problem doing both.I go watch the other sports teams,and he is there on a regular basis. Like every year I cannot wait for the new season to start. Oilslick.

Well I can understand where Bill Hunt is coming from. Small town papers like the Gleaner have reporters who seem to think it is their job to create stories rather than report them. Thus he moves on and takes a cowardly short in the dark as he departs. And, I see why he moves on. I am certain his boss would eventually say “Bill why are you still doing stories on the Tommies, they are done for the season, time to focus elsewhere until something noteworthy happens”. Bill would have no choice, because his boss will hold him accountable. Everyone has a boss who holds people accountable! Oh no you say, that is not true? Mike Eagles...oh yes he is his own boss. They must do that to save money rather than hiring another person would that be correct? No they have tons of money to spend on hockey, it just seemed that a winning coach could probably have some of that rub off on other coaches so putting him in charge makes sense. As far a signing a petition and putting one hundred dollars with it, c’mon Bill I waste that much money on the Gleaner every year, why would I throw good money after bad? And Video Guy, really, calling people on this blog Douches just because they don’t agree? You can correctly assume that you have offended people who have a say (fans who want this dynasty of losing to end). I hope you can take still life pictures with your camera, because I for one imagine you outside of the STU mix shooting pictures of rabbits on the first day of spring and taking them to class for show and tell.I am doubtful this blog makes it to the site, because of the Pro Eagles approach to having a fan site. Secondly allowing Video Guy to call people “douches” and not filtering that out. It makes one wonder about freedom of the press.Three conclusions Bill Hunt get free Buffets and free admission to games, but he is bias and would not bite the hand that feeds him, those he uses the powers of the press to disregard fan disinterest.Video Guy has the finely tuned vocabulary of a redneck almost finished a BA degree.STU needs to soon make a decision with heads as opposed to hearts and deal with Eagles.

OK, it worked. You got me to respond -- once more.A "cowardly shot in the dark" -- I signed my name. I wrote it in a paper that lands on 25,000 doorsteps, under my face and byline, and left contact information so that people who disagreed, such as yourself, anonymous, could respond in that forum and format. Instead, you take cheap shots here.The suggestion I made regarding essentially "put your money where your mouth is" is exactly that. Rather than bitch anonymously in the dark, if you have a co-ordinated, orchestrated tactic, and Mike Eagles or Lawrence Durling sees 3,000 or 30,000 or whatever in an envelope and makes the connection that that's what apathy is costing his hockey program, he might make a decision.That's using "the power of the press" to advance the discussion.As far as my boss holding me accountable -- certainly he does. But the column I write every Friday is my forum to discuss whatever I choose to discuss. He rarely intrudes on that. So I could talk Tommies as long as I wanted to, if I wanted to get into the sandbox with you little children and kick dirt around. But I won't."Free buffets". "Free admission?"I get admission to games that I'm covering because I'm doing my job. Do you get charged to go to your office every day?With your admission comes the right to walk out when the games get to be 7-2, 8-2, 9-2. I have to sift through the rubble of all that, go find the people to blame for it, and write it all down."Free buffets." Are they serving Buffets in the canteen now? If I get a Beaverbrook burger, I pay for it. If I go to a game that I don't happen to be working, I usually pay for it.You owe me an apology "anonymous." Somehow, I don't think I'll get it.

Sorry, one more. As far as "biting the hand that feeds me?" I've been dealing with coaches on both campuses for 25 years. I deal with whoever happens to be in the office and the office itself. It genuinely doesn't matter to me who happens to be sitting in the chair.

In 2003-04 (Eagles' 2nd year), average attendance was approximately 688 for games reported to AUS. Last year, average attendance was approximately 435. The apathetic have already spoken with their wallets.

No problen with an apology. I attacked your opinions and the weight they carry over mine, not you. Video Guy, and you are not him,calls us douche bags, that is a personal attack. i have no "tactic" for riding the program of Eagles. I don't like paying money to watch a hockey game and leaving when the score gets 7:1, that is why I no longer buy a pass, that is probably why they have 300 fans. Next time in look at those fans. They have been there for years and you know them. Ask 5 or 6 of them what they think of the hockey program? I bet a poll of six of those die hards would be an accurate sample. I don't want to mention their names, but if you took a picture of the gallery 0f seats by the mens washroom you would see them there pretty much every game. The free buffet was poetic freedom to imply that you can walk in and get paid to watch the game, same as I get paid to do my mundane job. I doubt that you would want to pay 10 bucks to go for a swim and then 10 minutes later go home because they drained the pool? That pretty much describes the STU games. by the way I pay 5 bucks a week for water and coffee at my work, hamburgers are extra. As far as forming a petition to take to the power brokers, are they really that satisfied that they need me to give them a wake up call? Surely 300 fans should take the alarm off snooze. Even you would agree to that. I am not certain but the paintings of the battle of the hill are now being sold in garage sales for 25 bucks, and little kids look at it and say "who were the Tommies mommy"? I can remember going to the LBR and sitting for 45 minutes to have a seat instead of walking around a post to see the action. I think STU will take a few years to climb out of the basement and become top three, but honestly, they have to develop a new fan base. You would know yourself that a marquis player can leave a program so depth is needed and that takes time. You also would agree that AD and coach need to be seperate jobs. Why would STU make that mistake again?

Again apology to you, but i take exception to your words of putting my money where my mouth is. I did that for years and now i see STU hockey as a loss leader for having a varsity program? and Lastly, would you eat a burger from the LBR canteen? If so, and i think they are better than the Brad Burger, let me know the next game you are covering, and I will leave an envelope at the canteen for a burger, fries, and pop, seriously.

Bill has a job to cover the games. He'll cover them as he sees fit. If he's stirring this kind of response, he's doing his job.

Anonymous, glad you put your name up, but you represent ONE fan. That is not a good enough sample size. Neither is 8.

If Mike were to read these posts from these armchair coaches (myself included), I wouldn't want him to be my coach. I don't want a coach who's swayed by public opinion, especially to the extremes like a public forum.

That is regardless as to whether his plans have worked. I'm not saying it has, but give him credit for not cracking to extreme fan pressures.

Think Ron Wilson reads fan blogs and fan forums for who to dress and who to scratch for games? Wouldn't those lineups look a little skewed? Hell, if Brian Burke listened to fan forums, half the team would be canned.

Last comment: Obviously, the administration needs something to call their attention to the situation.Eagles was appointed AD as a cost saving measure, by a president (Dr. Michael Higgins) who assigned no importance to athletics. STU doesn't consider athletics a priority. It's something that is not on their radar. They appointed Eagles to the position and now they consider it looked after and not worthy of their attention. My suggestion was a way for the disgruntled, if they're there in sufficient numbers, to get their attention.Regarding the younger fan base -- I believe that ship has sailed. UNB has done a wonderful job of cultivating the next generation of hockey fans in this city, and a winning program is only a small part of it. They have the hockey schools, and the Pumpernickel and the V-Reds spring hockey programs, etc.MacDougall also has the type of personality and interaction with the kids that keeps them coming back. The STU Tommies junior program and the hockey school, etc., were established as imitations of the UNB initiative. But for the most part, the next generation of young hockey fans in this city will be UNB supporters, and that was the case even before the STU program started its tailspin. Not even sure how you would reverse that trend now, but a winning program is only the tip of the iceberg.Again, STU suffers in the shadow of the UNB program, but every other program in Canada does. They just happen to be at opposite ends of the campus, and the competitive spectrum.UNB has built the program, but they have a STAFF to maintain it -- a full time associate coach; a full-time marketing and promotions director in Dave Morell...on and on. They have the resources. Not so at STU.

Holy Crap, Anonymous poster who is mad i called the minority douches with a so called personal attack, yet he thinks i am some redneck. wow, pot calling kettle black.

"And Video Guy, really, calling people on this blog Douches just because they don’t agree?"

I dont care if people (or you) disagree with me. You could take an opposite stance all you want. But when people attack people with an anoynmus tagline, unlike Bill or Sanderson or Oilslick, you get zero respect from me. This site is about hockey, not about Bill Hunt eating burgers or Eagles being AD, its about the 22 guys on the roster.

"You can correctly assume that you have offended people who have a say (fans who want this dynasty of losing to end). I hope you can take still life pictures with your camera, because I for one imagine you outside of the STU mix shooting pictures of rabbits on the first day of spring and taking them to class for show and tell."

Wow, why would I do such a thing. Let me give you a little background. I graduated with a 3.1 from STU last year, going into policing. Only took this job again because I like the job and I like hockey. I dont care if I offend people because if you dont put your name on things, i dont care if i offend the masses. I dont see you coming to the Tommies game to talk to me in the past few season. You probably dont even go to the games.

"Video Guy has the finely tuned vocabulary of a redneck almost finished a BA degree."

BA has been done, probably a lot higher GPA than you could ever produce. Not a redneck either, hate country music, and i am from a big metropolitan city in Ontario. See how I am not offended by a redneck (personal attack on me) but when I call you a douche, its like "OMG why would he say such a thing"

Bill, dont get dragged by the masses in this. We all know your right, people just want to argue about nothing. Mike, your right, this isint about hockey anymore, and thats sad.

STU does not care about atthletics??? Both their varsity coaches paid, investing huge dollars in the new rink and paying for European players on the womens program? I think you are confusing them with UNB who dumped their womens hockey.

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